Andrew James Coan, Jr., 87, of Danvers, died Sunday, February 5, 2012 in his home following a brief illness. He was the husband of the late Jean F. (Mulligan) Coan, with whom he shared forty-five years of marriage.
Born in Peabody on Feb. 27, 1924, he was the son of the late Andrew and Catherine (Callaghan) Coan, he was raised and educated in Peabody and was a graduate of Peabody High School, Class of 1941. He was also a graduate of the Beverly Co-op Trade School.
An honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Navy, Mr. Coan served proudly during WWII in the South Pacific on the PT Boat tender USS AGP 8 Wachapreague and in the Philippine Liberation Campaign. During the Korean War he served in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and was discharged as a Motor Machinist Mate 1st Class.
For more than forty years, Mr. Coan was employed as a machinist at the United Shoe Manufacturing Corp. in Beverly where he was a member of the Quarter Century Club.
A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, he was a man with a generous heart. He was an avid sports fan and had a love of the sea.
He is survived by his children, Mark Coan and his wife Estelle of Peabody, Martha Prisby of Bow, NH, Patricia Coan of Peabody, Maryann Coan of Danvers, Carolyn Coan-Andrews and her husband Michael of Lynn, Clare Coan of Peabody, and Andrew Coan and his wife Laurie of Danvers, six grandsons, Edward Prisby and his wife Nicole, Adam Prisby, Patrick Coan, and Daniel, Liam, and Joseph Andrews, and two great grandchildren, Madison and Jackson Prisby. He was predeceased by his son-in-law, Mark Prisby.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 9AM in St. Mary of the Annunciation Church, 24 Conant St., Danvers. Burial will follow in Annunciation Cemetery, Danvers. Relatives and friends are invited. Visiting hours are Tuesday from 4-8PM in C.R. Lyons & Sons, Funeral Directors, 28 Elm St., Danvers Square. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mr. Coan’s name may be made to the Fisher House Foundation, Inc., 111 Rockville Pike Unit #420, Rockville, MD 20850-5168. www.LyonsFuneral.com.